Patriot Park Could House Veteran Tribute Mural

CATHEDRAL CITY – A storage shed in need of some love and attention in Patriot Park could serve as the backdrop for a mural that pays homage to Cathedral City residents who lost their lives during war.

The City Council on Wednesday, Feb. 27 will consider a recommendation from the Public Arts Commission to approve an allocation of $8,000 from the Public Art Fund to install a Healing Fields Mural honoring Cathedral City residents at Patriot Park.

Each year during the week of Veterans Day, Healing Field rises up at Cathedral City’s Patriot Park, where more than 6,900 flags are placed on display. Each flag represents a serviceman or servicewoman killed on duty since 2001. Healing Field is a place to pay respect to those who fought for this nation’s freedoms and a place where families and friends can go to heal their hearts and minds. The event is organized by the Cathedral City Rotary and sponsored by the City of Cathedral City.

At the Feb. 11, 2019 Public Arts Commission meeting, a proposal was presented requesting public art funds for the installation of a mural on the outside of the storage building that is located at Patriot Park. The mural depicts the American Flag and every branch of the military. The mural would serve as a complement to the Healing Field in Patriot Park.

The budget for the mural is includes $3,000 for the contractor to repair and prime walls for the mural and $5,000 to local artist Jessica Schiffman, for labor and supplies to paint mural.

If approved, the mural would be installed in November 2019.

The Public Arts Commission approved the funding of a Healing Fields Mural at Patriot Park honoring residents of Cathedral City that lost their lives during war in an amount not to exceed $8,000 from the Public Arts fund.

The $8,000 funding for the project will come from the Art in Public Places fund.

Public Art in Cathedral City is made possible through booth Public Arts funds and private donations. Public Arts funds are collected as commercial development occurs. A percentage of development fees are put into the public arts fund which cannot be used for any other purpose. No General Fund dollars are used for public arts.